One thing that kale chips do have in common with Fritos is that they make good happy-hour snacks. They also look great floating on top of a bowl of potato soup (hot or cold). And they take seasoning like a champ: This basic recipe calls for salt, but a little chili powder, a dash of celery seed, and, believe it or not, a pinch or two of sugar are nice too. (If you’re using sugar, add it after the kale has cooked but before it has cooled.)Read more…

It’s a conundrum. Tiny little yellow potatoes in summertime are a totally irresistible thing. But who wants to heat up the house boiling or roasting them indoors?

Here’s how to get soft, creamy potatoes, with a minimum of indoor cooking (if any). And the best part is, you don’t even have to cut them up into similar sizes, as long as they’re all less than 3-inches long. It’s a forgiving recipe; if the potatoes go too long, don’t fret. Just mash them and serve with a dollop of butter.

Top requirement: Get good potatoes. The most beautiful you can find. That means a trip to the farm market.Read more…

If your farmers market, like my farmers market, is exploding this week, stuff as many leeks as you can into your biodegradable carry-bag and make this. You could serve it alongside a steak or piece of fish, or you could just stuff yourself with leeks and call it a meal.

Directions
Trim the roots and cut off the dark green shoots from the leeks. Remove the outer layer of leaves. Cut into 1/4-inch thick slices and wash thoroughly.

Place the leeks in a saucepan with the butter, wine and seasoning. Bring the liquid to the boil, cover the pan, and cook over a low heat for 25-30 minutes. Remove the lid. The leeks should be coated in a buttery sauce, but if there is more liquid remaining, turn up the heat and continue to cook until it has all but evaporated.

Beet salsa with habanero. It’s not nearly as ambitious as it sounds, and it’s an excellent way to dress up a grilled steak or a basket of tortilla chips. And it’s from “Truly Mexican,” by Roberto Santibanez.

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and tightly wrap the beets in foil. Bake the beets until they are tender, about 1 1/4 hours. Let them stand wrapped in foil for 15 minutes to help loosen the skins, then open the foil and peel the beets when they’re cool enough to handle. Finely dice the beets; you will have 1 1/2 to 2 cups.

Mix the beets in a bowl with the remainign ingredients and let the salsa stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before you serve it. Season to taste with additional lime juice and salt.

Here comes a long weekend, which means more than one turn at the grill. Make a batch of chimichurri tonight, and you’ll have it on hand drizzle with abandon all weekend … on salads, steaks, burgers, grilled vegetables, roasted potatoes, toasted bread, pizza, empanadas, hot dogs… you name it. You can also use it as a marinade for beef or pork. Or bison. Is that enough options?

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the asparagus spears with olive oil, salt and pepper. Drizzle the maple syrup over the asparagus, coating evenly. Spread the spears on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the spears and roast for another 5 minutes, until slightly browned and tender.

Directions
Half-fill a bowl with water and stir in the lemon juice. Trim the artichoke stems and remove and coarse outer leaves. Scoop out the choke. Place the trimmed artichokes immediately in the lemon-water to prevent discoloration. Leave to soak for 15 minutes, then drain and cut into thin slices.
Heat the oil in a pan, add the artichokes and cook over low heat, stirring and turning occasionally, for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly season the artichokes with salt and remove the pan from the heat. Transfer the artichokes to a casserole dish, sprinkle with the cheese and parsley, and season lightly with pepper. Bake for 10 minutes and serve immediately.